La Entrada Monument 2017

Construction of the new La Entrada monument at Albert Johnson Park is nearing completion, well ahead of the Dec. 31, deadline.

The original La Entrada monument was located on a portion of what is now the re-opened Main Street near the Rio Grande Theatre where it resided from 1997 to 2006, when it was removed for the Main Street reopening.

The current monument is a re-imagination of the previous, using original tiles from Las Cruces’ sister city Lerdo, Durango, Mexico. Some of the original tiles broke when the original monument was disassembled.

Local artist Tony Pennock, whose art is displayed on Las Cruces water tanks, has been instrumental in the entire construction project including monument design.

Low retaining seat walls were installed to blend the monument into the park topography and to allow spaces for viewers to sit while they enjoy the monument.

The final touch is for the Parks & Recreation Department to plant creeping germander in the monument’s center within the next few weeks.

As part of the La Entrada project, the statue of Albert Johnson has been placed near its original location at the park’s main entrance at the corner of Picacho Avenue and Main Street.